❛ No. Because I didn’t even know how to dream you up. You’re better than … everything. ❜
One And Only announces the commencement of -hopefu5 stars
❛ No. Because I didn’t even know how to dream you up. You’re better than … everything. ❜
One And Only announces the commencement of -hopefully- a new addicting series featuring the Wilder siblings.
Greer Wilder had always been a people pleasure and a problem solver, therefore the day she overheard her dying father wishing he could walk one of his daughters down the aisle, she instantly initiated the quest of finding a husband before the inevitable —her stepfather succumbing to his sickness,— and surprise, surprise that’s when Beckett Coleman joined the picture and filled the role of her fake-husband.
"I’ve always been ready for this. I just hadn’t met you yet."
The book oddly embarked us in a soft and delicate journey by sewing the faith of a devoted father and a selfless heroine, jointly. The storyline swayed between two paradoxical narratives of joyous and heartwarming moments between Beckett and his daughter trying to accept Greer in their select and private cocoon nuanced by moving, mournful family scenes portraying how the Wilder family tried, effortlessly, to deal with the upcoming lose of the pilar member of their family, their dad.
"She was beautiful—the kind of beautiful I’d probably never quite get used to."
Greer was such a strong and colorful female lead. We met her previously in The Plan and The Crush, therefore I absolutely adored reconnecting with the Wilder family and dive once again in the crazy yet warm and loving dynamic surrounding them. Quite frankly, it’s mesmerizing how I am a little more charmed by the Wilders after each book. Greer tight bond with her family and stepfather were painted so vividly through the storytelling that some aspects of it were pretty hard to go through without the inevitable heartbreak. Greer was spontaneous, independent and frank.. too honest sometimes for Beckett’s liking....more
"The story of how I come to be here in this foreign land. Sometimes what I tell you will make no sense. Sometimes it will
5 — heartbreaking— stars.
"The story of how I come to be here in this foreign land. Sometimes what I tell you will make no sense. Sometimes it will sound absurd. But in between those moments of doubts and dismissal, you may come to believe it possible that within each of us lives the essence of our existence—beginnings, middles, and endings—the paths that those before us took to bring us here."
The story embraced a poignant narrative with an elegiac and melancholic writing that harmonized between two, distinct timelines; past and present, ancestors and descendants separated by years and divided by generations, although were inherently mingled.
“I will not let these men with skin of the moon know my terror and loneliness.”
The storyline combined chapters with the first person perspective from characters sharing an identical bloodline whom endured and sustained similar tragedies and oppressions; the superstructure that dominated 19th and early 20th century and subordinated black people. Albeit their retellings weren’t recurrent along the line the impact behind them is profond and movingly authentic, nonetheless.
"The distance never seemed to put enough space between her conscience and the past."
The other chapters were the backbone of the book narrated from the third person and retraced the interior war the female protagonist was torn with. Trying to forgive her own, past and present, mistakes. Alessandra was a strong female lead but had a noxious relationship with her father since her mother’s death. She wanted to rearrange their chaotic bond at all coasts when she received a call announcing her that her father was hospitalized. One of her father’s wishes was for her to reconnect with her ancestors by understanding the epiphany behind her vivid dreams and realistic visions, from another time, disguised with ugly truths hidden by her late mother. The flashbacks were.. disturbing.
“Sometimes there’re some things that cannot and should not be explained,” she said in the musical lilt he loved to hear. “They simply exist, yeah, like the meeting of two people who share something only with each other—their unified spirits.”
The backbone chapters contained some chapters and parts with the male protagonist’s point of view, Zack. With his and Alessandra’s perspectives the storytelling flourished into a surprisingly heartbreaking and soul-moving story about fate and soulmates, belongings and forgiveness. The bond between them was transparently powerful throughout the book but intensified the more Zach helped her figure the missing segments of her ancestral tree.
"Behind her closed lids, the images of her ancestors manifested with life. They might be gone in body, but they were part of her, in her blood, in her DNA."
The plot was enticing, trying to comprehend why everything and everyone was somehow mangled together. What these past chapters relating the escape of a 15 years old girl prisoner had anything to do with Alessandra. Why Zach had always this contradictory —uncomfortable yet reassuring— impression that he and Alessandra had known each other, before? But most importantly who or what Ayah is ? The only significance I knew to the word is the literal meaning, the religious islamic in wish Ayah means a Qur'anic verse. Seeing how easily and poetically the author has the capacity and power to torn and twist words I was convinced the meaning was metaphorical.. Oh, how wrong was I, cuz its significance brought so much more understanding and made the story more impactful in so many ways.
" I am Ayah. I am home."
•Quotes:
"Sometimes she wondered if she’d romanticized her mother simply because she was gone, or had things been as storybook as she remembered?"
"Acting as if the past don’t exist don’t make it less real; putting it behind ya don’t make it go away."
"But as new to him as Alessandra Fleming was, he couldn’t shake the sensation that he’d always known her."
"After all, everyone was a descendant."
I want to thank Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange of an honest review.
•———•———•———•———•———•———•
I need some sleep to recover from the plot and gather my thoughts properly ...more
"Every second my hands aren’t on you, every minute my mouth has to wait to taste you, it’s torture, Mia."
5–don’t I deserve an Eli, too?— stars
"Every second my hands aren’t on you, every minute my mouth has to wait to taste you, it’s torture, Mia."
This was the perfect— cute yet hot— read I needed right now, and loved every part of it.
That’s all, this is the review.
-quotes:
" My secret—my truth, Mia—is that you belong to me. Always have. Always will.”
"Tell me, love. If I dropped to my knees right now, would you let me devour your cunt?"
"I dare you to let me show you how obsessed I was with you ten years ago"
"When’s the last time you’ve been on a date?” He takes a slow drink of his mojito and smirks behind the rim. “Does our time in the diner count? Because if so, ten years ago"
"But the moment my eyes meet her big brown ones, I realize how much of an asshole I’ve been. How nothing I’ve imagined or remembered has held a candle to the real thing"
"Even when we only considered ourselves passing acquaintances in the hall, or tutor and tutee, there was something there. Something deeper than I could form into real words. A connection that simply exists”
—————————————————————————- Cuz all my babes loved it and I trust their taste with my life, also I’m in a big reading slump so.....more
"I’ll try to be better. Though I’ll probably never be a hero.” “Who says I want a hero? I’m perf5♾ oupsi, I forgot the rating while writing it!
"I’ll try to be better. Though I’ll probably never be a hero.” “Who says I want a hero? I’m perfectly happy with you, my villain. "
I couldn't have hoped for a better outcome to this twisted, addictive trilogy. The third book took place shortly —a few months— before the mind blowing revelation of the first book in the series. I figured the twits and turns would’ve eased after getting most of the questions answered in the 2nd book. Oh. How wrong was I!
"Everything you mentioned is scary, but none of it terrifies me as much as the thought of losing you. As long as we’re together, I can get through anything."
This closure was a paradoxal combination between joyous and poignant moments, I found myself smiling at their heartwarming family scenes and a few minutes after crying my eyes out; thinking it was the breaking point of their relationship.
" She is the only person I’ve ever wanted to belong to me, no matter how illogical and impossible that is."
The epiphanies that came with them opening up to each other and trusting one another helped me to outline the complexe character behind Adrian. A lot of his actions in the previous books made complete sens with his strategist/mastermind caricature. Going back to the point of them working on their relationship, the storyline was full of selfless actions to save their beloved ones, to save each other. And with the bond between them increasing and blooming to a real husband/wife relation, it was literally the sherry on the top I needed for their epic story to end in apotheosis.
"What my husband doesn’t know is that he isn’t the only one bent on protecting me. I’d do the same. With my life, if I have to "
I think I don’t have much to say or add about it without spoiling the most important parts of the story. To sum : the series was brilliantly pulled and this book gave the most satisfying ending to it. Et maintenant que j’ai toutes les cartes en main, I think I’ll reread the first book soon....more
My expectations were pretty high for this one. To say that I liked it is an euphemism even though it began with a few redhibi5 —heartbreaking— stars.
My expectations were pretty high for this one. To say that I liked it is an euphemism even though it began with a few redhibitory points ; as the two main characters being fifteen and seventeen. I think in other circumstances I wouldn’t have given it a try. But someone I know (that sure has a good taste in romance) recommended it to me and assured me that I would enjoy it. And I’m so glad I did ‘cause Holly Molly these two were at times more mature than other characters I’ve read with like thirty or forty years !
It was a SLOWBURN and I would say, thank god ! Because it was 800 something pages. Honestly, I didn’t mind the length ‘cause it was one of these stories where you drown in and completely forget about reality. I devoured it in less than three days!...more
Well I enjoyed the previous book in the series and was quite excited for this one ! I swear 5 stars.
“ Sometimes the quietest love is the loudest,”
Well I enjoyed the previous book in the series and was quite excited for this one ! I swear, Best friend’s brother romances are so underrated ! Was I excepting it to turn out as one of my favorite romances ever? Nope, absolutely not !
Where do I even begin with ?
Indigo needed somewhere to live so she could set some money aside to deal with her health issues ( I’ll phrase it this way. Please, check the trigger warnings it might be a sensitive subject for some.) Being a flight attendant didn’t pay much plus her health assurance didn’t cover the cost, she was in a delicate situation after leaving unexpectedly her ex-apartment. Rayan was a lone wolf, and it lasted five years, since his one and final relationship ended badly. They became roommates because Rayan couldn't deny his twin sister a thing. She was the only thing he ever cared about at the exception of his sport. Rayan was a little mean with Indigo at the beginning ‘cause he valued his quiet and peaceful condo and she was a messy nuisance. With all the frenzy that came with his title as the best NBA player even internationally; the intimacy of his appartement was his only escape, Up until her. Indigo was an emotional mess at that time because she had ended a six years relationship with her childhood best friend whom cheated on her without any remorse.
The romance was so well done, literally a masterpiece. The transitions from strangers to friends to lovers are globally the sum’ of me being here, reading endless and endless contemporary romances.
“I want you, Indy. I want us. I want our little life we’ve built even when we thought we were pretending. I want you in our house because you’ve made it a home. I want your mess and your chaos. I want your genuine smiles, ”
The little attentions, the awareness of every single shifts in the mood, learning about each other and building a tight friendship based on trust and a mutual respect and being reconnaissent and grateful for earning it just put the growing romance to an other level....more
❛ I love how you take care of everyone around you. I love to watch you with Sutton. I love how you handle a helicopter. I love how you
4.75 stars.
❛ I love how you take care of everyone around you. I love to watch you with Sutton. I love how you handle a helicopter. I love how you force me to the edge of my comfort zone. I love that you like everything in its place, and I love that you make exceptions for me, for us. I love how you worry about your friends. I love that you can’t keep your hands off me. I love how you touch me, how you make me feel Like there’s nowhere safer to be than in your arms. ❜
Oh boy, it's gonna be one of my favorite reads of the year. I haven't read a well-written single parentbook in ages, leave it to RY to pull out a chief kiss.
"Dreams change when you have kids.” "Their dreams are what become important to you."
My expectations aren’t too high. I just love watching the protagonists interact with the kid or kids and integrate them into their relationship and daily basis.
For exemple, when Weston told his brother that Carrie was a good mom, I felt it. Because we witness a lot of funny and touching, moving moments between mother and daughter, above all, many important parenting moments.. We had also a good look at the relationship between Weston and Sutton —The daughter—and, it was so pure and darn cute.
"Like I’ll die from needing you. You’re a fucking obsession, Calliope. I think about you when I’m flying, when I’m guiding, when I’m lying here in this bed and you’re just a wall away. I never stop thinking about you."
And the roommate/friend situation was well set up between Carrie and Weston. I loved how their relationship and bond developed. They talked a lot and were good for each other.
Well, there was a third act breakup in it but I guess that was inevitable considering Weston's past and all his warnings so as not to be too attached to the mother and the child.
" Sometimes I think we spend our adulthoods trying to heal whatever cut us as kids."
The history of the Madigan family has been much drawn and vividly described. Quite frankly, this aspect of the storyline was better managed than in the first book..
I also liked the fact that the character of Sutton’s dad wasn’t tarnished, it was kind of refreshing to not diabolize Carrie’s ex....more
❛ ❛ My voice is hushed as I meet his eye. “I think…no matter what universe we land in, we land there together.”❜ ❜
There was something so e4.75 stars
❛ ❛ My voice is hushed as I meet his eye. “I think…no matter what universe we land in, we land there together.”❜ ❜
There was something so elegiac and poetic about this story; how the universe always had a way to bring them in each others life, again and again. Something so agonizing and gut-wrenching; not knowing how two perfect strangers had so powerful feelings for one another and yet being persuaded they’re only fantasying, being in love with a sort of imaginary person only builded and existing in their deepest dreams.
" I hate that I’m sitting here right now wanting someone I’ve never met. Someone who doesn’t even exist."
At the age of four year old, young Quinn woke up screaming and demanding where was her husband Nick, the dreams nightmares persisted until around eight or nine year old and then they just sort of vanishedbecause of a traumatizing event.But at 28 and mere weeks before her wedding, Quinn had yet an other "episode" where she fainted and started then mumbling again about her imaginary spouse after a sens of déjà vu while visiting an Inn avenue. The passing-out in the middle of the day and realistic dreaming became a constant for a few days until she was finally hospitalized for checking and pin-pointing what was wrong with her. And what was her surprise when she found out that her neurologist was none-other than Nick in her dreaming-husband-Nick
"I miss someone I’ve never met. I grieve for him."
The time traveling aspect of the story was actually the main plot, the "how-why-where-when" were questioned by Quinn who just wanted to know what the hell was happening to her and Nick, the doctor who wanted a rational and scientific answer to how a perfect stranger knew absolutely everything about him. Now, I liked that this part of the storyline had an actual "scientific explication". Thanks to Miss O’Roark; who didn’t drop a crazy plot-line without more development for its "origine".
"The idea of a world without Quinn is already unthinkable."
At the end, the book is left with some voids to comble and I understand it; the author preferred to insert the final revelation in the next book in the duology. However, I can’t stop thinking that Quinn didn’t actually "time travel" but jump in her "parallel-world-self" or alternate universe alter-ego. We know that there was a tierce personne so set on separating them in each world but we don’t know yet why or who...
" How can I already feel so connected to him? From the moment we met yesterday, it was as if I was meant to know him, or perhaps, somehow, already did"
The romance part was harrowing to read not that it was bad; Quinn was torn between a "once in a life time, inexplicable and unexpected love" and the man she grow up with and was some steps appart to marry. I absolutely loathe love triangles, that’s why it was so hard to read.
" He’s the person I’ve waited my entire life to find. To belong to."
Quinn and Nick’s, connection and chemistry were literally alive throughout the book. They played with the love triangle a huge role in the devastating and emotional path the storytelling was embracing. With that said, I’m again excited yet terrified to face the second book.
————————————————————————
Am I the only one with a too-scared-to-read list of books literally MEMORIZED in my head?! Well, this series is in the top ten and now I’m half excited half terrified to read it!...more
I loved every second of it. I was reculant at first ‘caus I’m not a fan of second chance romances with chapters that go back and for5 loving stars.
I loved every second of it. I was reculant at first ‘caus I’m not a fan of second chance romances with chapters that go back and forth between past and present but the way the author pulled their past with Kennedy’s notebook that related every important parts of their relationship was million years from boring. The reunion between Johnathan and Maddie...more
Ps: I wrote so many different versions of this review and still don’t think i did this book justice.
❛
" I think I love you, Harriet,” he say
5 stars
Ps: I wrote so many different versions of this review and still don’t think i did this book justice.
❛
" I think I love you, Harriet,” he says. "I know I love you, Wyn.”
❜
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that Emily Henry’s plume would transport you while reading with brillant words, sophisticated metaphors and complex characters poetically broken. However, the plume was subtly substituted in 'Happy Place' by a bitter, realistic and mature writing. Be aware that the book, characters’ flaws and their "Dark Places" will either resonate with you or will be hard to empathize with. In other words, you’ll either *love it and hate it at the same time* or just feel apathetic towards it.
"The only way I can bear loving anyone this much is knowing it will never turn to poison. Knowing we’ll give each other up before we can destroy each other.”
The narrative was melancholically swaying between two distinct timelines; divided between past chapters "Happy Place", "Dark Place" that retraced poignantly Harriet and Wyn’s love story from the very cute start until the culminant point(s) that broke them appart and "Real life" chapters that translated resentfully how both of them were trapped after they broke up 5 months before in a week vacation with their best-friends who accessory didn’t know about their separation. Their only choice was to fake being together but how blurred the lines can become when they had already eight long years of practice?
"You’ve spent months trying to forget what you’re missing, I tell myself. How will you survive being reminded? Living the loss of it all over again?"
Harriet was a contradictory but yet understandable character. The way she was painted as not only a brillant neurological chirurgien but as a woman, a broken one, was one of the most lovable and relatable aspect of the storytelling. She wasn’t portrayed as a passionate workaholic who loved her job, she wasn’t stereotyped with one and only one part of her personality. With her character Emily Henry highlighted how people can be complex in such beautiful and painful ways, that their personalities can be nuanced with infinity of colores. She explained gracefully how achieving your goals and purposes in life doesn’t specially rhythm with happiness.
" I wanted to be special, Harriet,” he says. “And since I wasn’t, I settled for trying to make everyone love me. I know how ridiculous that sounds, but it’s true. I spent my whole life chasing things and people who could make me feel like I mattered."
Wyn’s personage was pretty simple to capture and dissect from the very first chapters. The "way" he did what he did was —to my opinion—transparent and cristal clear but to excuse and compassionate with him and his individual choices the last chapters were really helpful and emotionally draining.
"Our love is a place we can always come back to, and it will be waiting, the same as it ever was. You belong here."
Every touch, every word had its own importance in the way their relationship flourished and tarnished. Their love had an elegiac tone in how Harriet was describing the "lose" of the love of her life in the present chapters and an eternal essence in how their love seemed unbreakable in the past chapters. Both of the them where in "Dark Palces" at the end of their relationship. So how can you save a ship when both captains have already drowned?
"The irony of it all strikes me then: working so hard to earn their love and pride, and it’s brought me no closer to them. If anything, I think maybe it’s kept them at a distance."
The book didn’t aboard only one traditional meaning of "love in crisis"; the storyline balanced with friends and family love-problems. It embraced some touchy and moving aspects of the word. For exemple, how adulthood can dig an abyss between longtime friends; how lies and secrets can break trust and finally, how resentment and an avid want of money might wreck a family.
~•~•~•~
Quote:
So many, and i don’t even think i joined the review with the most pertinent ones...more
Their relationship is by far one of my favorites. Jackson carried the book, he was prefect in5 stars.
Wow!! I didn't expect it to be so beautiful .
Their relationship is by far one of my favorites. Jackson carried the book, he was prefect in every sens of the word. He was so patient and kind with Nina, so bright and joyful. He was just a SUNSHINE for like eighty precent of the time and the fact that HE called her like that because of her permanent grumpiness made me swoon more than once....more
"Feel some feelings. Get messy with me. Be my friend, Sebastian."
Synopsis:
Ziggy was autistic and the youngest Berg♾of —fake friending— stars
"Feel some feelings. Get messy with me. Be my friend, Sebastian."
Synopsis:
Ziggy was autistic and the youngest Bergman sibling. For these two major reasons her family shielded her from the outside world since she encountered some misadventures during attending high-school and has always given her the impression that she would irrevocably be trapped in the child role among her family. At 22 year old, Sigrid wanted to be seen as she was, a woman, so a brillant idea bloomed into her head and to dissolve from the personage she was reflecting, Ziggy wanted to fake a friendship with her brother’s best friend, Sebastian, who is a famous hockey player well known for his bad-boy aura and auto-destructive persona.
"That’s when I just…feel it all leave me. The anger, the cold, aching sadness, like a poison leaving my system. Staring at her, lost in her, finally, I smile."
Sebastian Gauthierwhy it wasn’t mentioned if he was french?...more
♾ *i feel like i need to write a proper review then the first one for this book because it literally RUINED my life for months but ain’t no way i can r♾ *i feel like i need to write a proper review then the first one for this book because it literally RUINED my life for months but ain’t no way i can reread it im not that masochist*
First review: This book ruined me. Not in a bad way and neither in a good one. I literally sobbed for two hours straight and all that because of to the damn plot twist at the end...more
update bonus scene: im typing this with literally tears running down my cheeks because oh man, the bonus content was so beautiful.
❛"I love you, bi
update bonus scene: im typing this with literally tears running down my cheeks because oh man, the bonus content was so beautiful.
❛"I love you, big man." "I love you too, Muffin."❜
and not the mention of diana and the boys plus, van&aiden’s kids. i dont think i’ll ever recover from how fiona told vanessa that she would marry lou one day...more
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